Bullets fan arrested for stealing K247 000 gate collections

Police in Malawi’s Central Region District of Dedza have arrested a 30-year-old man for being suspected of stealing gate collections during a Bullets FC and Kamuzu Barracks’ Super League match at Dedza Stadium on Sunday.

The suspect, Gift Clifford, was arrested after he was found with K247 000 whose source he could not explain soon after the match.

Dedza Police Spokesperson, Edward Kabango, confirmed they were holding the suspect, who was dressed in Bullets FC red and white attire.

Details on how the suspect was found with the money were still not available as he was yet to be interrogated over the issue.

Nyau: We need to find out if he is a member of our club supporters

But Kabango said information regarding the matter would be known Monday after recording statements from the suspect and witnesses.

“Reconciliation of the gate collections and tickets started after the game and lasted until late in the evening around 7pm. This was when we arrested him after he was discovered with the money amounting to about K247 000.

“From the way he is dressed we suspect that he is a Bullets FC fan. He was wearing red and white clothes and a Bullets scarf when we arrested him. But we are still investigating the matter,” Kabango explained.

The suspect, who hails from Chitela, Traditional Authority Nkalo in Chiradzulu District, was expected to appear before the court after being formally charged with theft.

Bullets General Secretary Higger Mkandawire said he also heard about the incident from grapevine.

“I left Dedza soon after the game because I had some urgent business in Blantyre. But I got a message from Kamuzu Barracks officials, Mr. Shawa about the incident.

“As of now, I am just waiting to officially hear from Super League of Malawi and Dedza Police on the matter,” Mkandawire said.

Top Bullets fan ‘Nyau’ said he could not confirm if the arrested supporter is their member.

“We need to establish if he is our member,” he said.

Football Association of Malawi and Super League of Malawi have been struggling to deal with cases of gate collections theft.

Earlier this season, FAM and SULOM agreed to outsource the management of gate collection in a bid to deal with gate collection theft but Southern Region teams led by Bullets FC and Mighty Wanderers supporters shot down the move.

SULOM General Secretary, Williams Banda, said those resisting the outsourcing of gate collection management services had clandestine motives to steal at the expense of clubs.

“This is why we have always insisted that gate management should be outsourced. What has happened just shows that there is a lot going on at the gates and those that are involved do not want to be exposed that’s why they don’t want outsourcing of games,” he said.

The GS said SULOM would work with police to arrest all those involved in the syndicate.